


On a Starry Night

by tuckingtons



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-04
Updated: 2014-05-04
Packaged: 2018-01-21 21:27:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1564667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tuckingtons/pseuds/tuckingtons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Late night strolls are worth missing sleep sometimes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On a Starry Night

Tonight was one of those nights where it felt like the universe did not want Tucker to sleep. Lying on his side crushed his arm, lying on his stomach meant he couldn't breathe, and lying on his back was comfortable until he woke himself up snoring. So, sleep was out of the question. Instead he carefully climbed out of bed, grabbed a t-shirt and shorts and crept out of the base hoping he didn't wake anyone in the process.

The canyon was undeniably pretty at night. Stars twinkled lazily in the sky, no pollution to dim their light. A quietness settled over the area as the reds and blues alike slept in their makeshift homes, all tired out from all the shenanigans they were up to the day before. A warm breeze drifted over Tucker's skin and he couldn't help but let out a contented sigh. The beauty of it made missing sleep not so bad.

He was surprised, to say the least, when a cold, mental object was pressed against the back of his neck. "Where do you think you're going?"

The low, almost growl of Agent Washington's voice was unmistakable.

"Wash, come on, no team kills," Slowly the pressure eased off Tucker's neck and he turned to meet pale blue eyes staring down at him. "I thought you were asleep?"

"I was," Wash sighed running a hand through his hair. 

Exhaustion was getting the better of him. With every nightmare Wash woke up from he looked more defeated. More  _broken._ It hurt Tucker to see him like this more than he was willing to admit. 

"You want to walk with me?" Tucker offered hopefully, "I mean there isn't really anywhere to go but around in circles but..."

Wash smiled a gentle smile that made Tucker's insides melt before holstering his gun and saying "Yeah, I'd like that."

So they strolled at a snail's pace, enjoying the warm evening and each other's company. Butterflies fluttered through Tucker's stomach each time Wash's arm brushed against his or when he 'accidentally' did the same. In quiet voices they spoke of irrelevant things like who the best grifball team was and who's armour was a better colour; anything to distract them from their current situation.

The peace of their surroundings calmed Wash in a way Tucker had never seen before. Between their mission to rescue Epsilon, Carolina being well... Carolina, and crash-landing here, any time Tucker spent with Wash he was more than a little wound up. Who could blame him? And besides, Tucker himself hasn't been epitome of relaxed. Church and Carolina had a lot to answer for when they showed up again.  _If_   they showed up again.

"You seem distracted," Wash's voice swiftly snapped Tucker out of his thoughts.

"Oh, it's nothing."

No need to bum him out Tucker figured. But a sympathetic look and a comforting hand on his shoulder told him he wasn't fooling anyone. Unable to meet Wash's eyes Tucker stared down at his feet and kicked a pebble as he walked. For the second time they were moving from Blue Base towards Red Base.

"Tucker, it's okay. I miss them too. I know it may be hard to believe, given our last mission with her, but Carolina used to be my close friend and my leader just like Church was to you. Our positions are a lot more alike than you think."

Except Wash had it much worse. Wash's only living friend abandoned him, in more ways than one. Wash was cheated and lied to in a job where he  _thought_  he was the good guy. Wash had an A.I. try to kill itself in his head and years later still has to deal with the nightmares. Wash is stranded in a strange place with an incapable team and still has the energy to believe in them and motivate them everyday regardless of how much they fight him. Agent Washington is stronger than he'll ever be, but that doesn't upset Tucker. Because Tucker knows he's lucky to have Wash around. So, he smiles and nods in agreement which elicits an even bigger smile from Wash. 

"Hey, what are you doing out here anyway?," Wash asked suddenly, as though he'd just remembered it was unusual for people not to be asleep at this hour.

"Couldn't sleep," Tucker shrugged.

"Ah," Wash nodded carefully, "Same here."

An uncomfortable silence settled over them both. 'Couldn't sleep' was a  _major_  understatement in Wash's case and they both knew it. 

"Do the nightmares happen every night?"

"Not every night... Most nights," The look of pain on Wash's face would stay with Tucker for a long time. He regretted asking, clearly Wash wasn't ready to talk about it. Maybe he never would be. Best drop it.

They fell back into silence as they drifted sleepily back towards Blue Base. Before he could do anything to stop it a yawn escaped Tucker's lips. When they reached their base again they went inside this time, Tucker finally felt like he might get some sleep. They said goodnight and went their separate ways.

Not long after Tucker collapsed into bed there was a gentle knock on his door. He squinted as it opened slowly to reveal a large frame silhouetted by the light outside. Neither of them said anything, Tucker simply pulled back the blanket so the other could climb into bed and held him close until they both drifted to sleep in one another's arms. 

**Author's Note:**

> This was already posted to my tumblr: agenttuckington.tumblr.com


End file.
